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In the English language, there are different ways to pronounce vowels. One category of such vowel pronunciation is the short vowel sound — one that has many associated words. But what are some short vowel words and how do you identify them? This article will explore short vowel sounds, general rules for forming short vowel words, and examples of short…

Regular Verbs The regular verb is one which conforms to the normal grammar rules surrounding the use of verbs. In English, there are a huge amount of regular verbs, and its important to know what these are and the rules that they follow. This will help you to ensure that your sentences are grammatically correct and easy…

Spelling in English can be challenging. Several spelling rules exist to navigate the treacherous spelling realm. Once you think you have a handle on one spelling rule, a rule exception throws you off course. Not to mention, many archaic phonetic words are mudding the English language waters. Have you ever wondered why some words have such peculiar…

What Is A Diphthong? Diphthongs are vowel sounds that begin as one sound and blend into another when they are articulated. They can be achieved through the use of two consecutive vowels, as well as one vowel that changes as it is pronounced. Diphthongs are sometimes referred to as gliding vowels. This term relates to the…

English Phonetics Phonetics is part of a larger field of study called phonology. Phonology studies how words are pronounced in order to determine standardization and how accents vary from region to region. As with many languages, English has a wide range of dialects. American English differs from British English, and both differ from Australian English. Within these dialects,…

Tongue Twisters in English! Have you ever heard someone say a funny phrase like “If a dog chews shoes, whose shoes does he choose?,” and wondered, what are they saying? This is a popular example of a tongue twister. Tongue twisters are fun and nonsensical, intended to confuse both the speaker and the listener. They…

Speech Sounds As words are articulated, air flows through the vocal cords and is manipulated to create different sounds. This manipulation can occur in the vocal cord itself, as well as in the mouth with the the help of teeth, lips, and the tongue. Some speech sounds are produced without any closure of the airflow.…

Words without vowels! It may be surprising to learn that the English language has many words that do not have any vowels at all. Vowels are the letters A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y. All letters that are not vowels are called consonants. Most people probably think they don’t know of any words without vowels, but…

Vowels in English! Though we may not think of them beyond their role in spelling out a word, the 26 letters of the English alphabet are symbols representing speech sounds. Letters help to tell the reader how a word is articulated. Speech sounds are broken into two different types, vowels and consonants. Whether a sound is…

Consonant Definition Consonants are unique part of linguistics that are straightforward to remember, but much more complex to understand. Simply put, consonants are letters that are not vowels. So any letter that is not A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y is a consonant. Remembering that rule is the easiest way to determine whether a letter is…